Mile by Mile, Dollar for Dollar, Pastor Pedals for Catholic School

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Father Joseph Blenkle has a very cool bike. It’s a 14-speed Giant road model that weighs in at a lithe two pounds.

“You can lift it up with your finger,” he said of the sleek machine that he expects to take him 350 miles from Connecticut’s Lourdes in Litchfield Marian Shrine to the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md., beginning the end of May.

Father Blenkle said he is the sole New York archdiocesan priest taking part in the seven-day priests’ and seminarians’ bike pilgrimage to raise funds and awareness for Catholic schools May 29 through June 4. Each priest will ride for the school of his choice, with the funds being raised primarily through individual per-mile sponsorships. Father Blenkle, pastor of St. Mary, Mother of the Church parish in Fishkill, will be riding for his parish school.

Called “Our Father’s Ride,” the pilgrimage is being billed as contemplative, not competitive. So Father Blenkle is not concerned that the Tour de France is going to break out between his fellow priests and seminarians on the pilgrimage. Besides, he has seen pictures of some of the other bicycles that will be taking part and is confident he will be able to do more than keep up.

“Between you and me, one of the guys has like a Pee-wee Herman bike,” he said with a laugh. “When you take a look some of those guys on the website, I don’t think they’re highly competitive,” he said.

Father Blenkle has used his passion for cycling to raise money for parish schools he’s been associated with in the past. When he was pastor of Holy Name of Jesus parish in Valhalla, he once rode 60 miles along the North County Trail to raise funds for the parish school.

But he has never attempted anything as ambitious as this.

“I’ve done rides before, but not 350 miles,” he acknowledged. “When I was riding about four or five years ago I could average about 15 miles an hour. Now I’m doing about 13 to 14. I’ve lost about a mile and a half because I’ve gained a little weight. I’ve been training, but we had a tough winter so it’s hard to get out. A good clip is 10 miles an hour, so 10 miles an hour, that’s five hours of riding a day.”

Each day will begin or end with Mass, with each of the 10 participating priests taking turns as celebrant.

“I’m looking forward to the fellowship,” Father Blenkle said. “I’m looking forward to celebrating Mass with these guys. We’ll pray together, we’ll dine together and fellowship will be good.”

St. Mary’s School has an enrollment of nearly 300 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. So far, Father Blenkle has raised close to $28,000, and counting, for his students. An anonymous donor has offered to match, dollar for dollar, every donation up to $10,000.

“I’d love to get to $30,000,” he said. “Thirty thousand dollars for a 350-mile ride. I think that’s a good chunk.”

Father Blenkle has just turned 51. By the end of May and the first week of June it could be hot and humid. Worse, he said, would be rain. And even though the route is primarily on back roads, there will be traffic to contend with, he said. So it won’t exactly be a ride in the park.

But he’s been riding regularly, increasing his mileage daily. He says he’s up for the challenge.

“You know what, I love my kids,” he explained of the youngsters entrusted to his care. “Three hundred kids in my school and I love them all, and the 800 kids I have in CCD, the same. I would jump in a vat of Jello for them. But I also understand the value of Catholic education. It’s like that MasterCard commercial says. It’s priceless.”

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to St. Mary’s Church, P.O. Box 780, 103 Jackson St., Fishkill, N.Y. 12524. Attn.: Our Father’s Ride.